[NL200]AQ against a squeeze play

[MrFold]

Party Poker - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $1/$2 Blinds - 6 Players - (LegoPoker Hand History Converter)

SB: $250.45
BB: $253.00
UTG: $251.53
MP: $199.75
Hero (CO): $270.65
BTN: $533.90

Preflop: Hero is dealt Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (6 Players)
2 folds, <font color="red">Hero raises to $8.00</font>, 2 folds, <font color="red">BB raises to $26.00</font>, Hero calls $18.00

Flop: ($53) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">BB bets $31.00</font>, Hero calls $31.00

Turn: ($115) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($115) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">BB bets $35.00</font>, Hero calls $35.00

Pot Size: $185.00 ($3 Rake)

villian is a 19/17 TAG

thx for help

[slickss]

I never fold here. I suspect that he would take any better hand to value town on the turn. For $35 you have to call, IMHO.

[sixhigh]

Technically that's not a squeeze because there's no caller between you and him. Calling preflop is acceptable if you have some idea how he plays postflop and he's 3betting at least somewhat light.
I think you played it fine. There's not much value in betting the turn or raising the river - folding river is out of the question obv. Make a note what he had though (this riverbet is quite weird, looks like a blocking bet).

[Shes92]

I kinda like how you played it except Im folding this flop a significant portion of the time depending on opponent. I like the check behind on turn and like the call on the river.

[slickss]

I could easily see him doing this with hands like AQ/JJ/TT/worse.

You can't call that flop bet and then fold on the river, IMHO.

[sixhigh]

wtf @ folding to the flop bet? This is the perfect flop for him to cbet with _any_ holding.

Edit: and if we decide to call pre, we certainly don't do it with the intention of folding to a single flop bet when we hit.

[Wolfram]

His raise is not a squeeze play since you're HU.
Preflop is marginal, I'd lean on folding until I have a read.
Flop is also marginal. If he has a reasonably tight OOP 3-betting range then you're way behind.
The rest is standard

[Shes92]

[ QUOTE ]
wtf @ folding to the flop bet? This is the perfect flop for him to cbet with _any_ holding.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this the perfect flop to cbet at???? I much prefer a ragged flop. There are plenty of threads about cbetting that warn against betting at coordinated flops etc.

Regarding the hand itself, I think we are behind here a decent amount of the time. We have been 3bet by a TAG OOP and we have hit middle pair on a dangerous coordinated board and the 3 bettor has lead out. The opponents bet size may indicate weakness to me (not protecting enough) so this may not be a fold but I dont really like calling or raising either hence the difficult decision. But for sure I dont see folding as a terrible option. Other opinions appreciated...

[sixhigh]

Folding in this situation is one of the reasons why so many 'tags' get run over by better players. FWIW, hands like T9s, 22 and the like are a reasonable part of his range - it's not like a 19/17 is generally only 3betting with QQ+ and AK here.

Plus, due to the structure of the board it's very less likely that he will fire a 2nd barrel without a hand than can beat a pair of Queens, so we don't have to worry too much about reverse implied odds.

[Jay Riall]

I usually fold pre until I have a grip on his game. Calling is kinda meh. Post is good.